Vengeance
by Gala Secrets
Summary: Skull received a phone call and disappeared from the Arcobaleno mansion for a month. His Flames are gleeful and bloodthirsty, just shy of Raging, right before he leaves. Part of "Inconsistent Consistencies" universe. This is the phone call mentioned in "Memento Mori"


This is the incident mentioned in Memento Mori when Skull receives a call and leaves for a month, roughly about 6-7 years after the Curse. The Arcobaleno are now cursed. Takes place in the 1931-35 (per Baccano timeline). I know it is a little bit of a cop-out, but I am using the excuse of Flame-Tech for intercontinental phone calls.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

"We found Szilard."

Skull froze and growled, Flames swirling in his eyes dangerously. "Where."

A sigh came over the phone. "Here in Manhattan. Little Firo stumbled upon a homunculus he made. She's rather life-like with free thought and morals." His voice developed an angry growl before stopping to take a deep breath.

"What happened, fratellino?"

"He used Gretto's memories to make an incomplete version of the Panacea and plans to sell it. Firo liberated what he thought was wine from one of Szilard's runner. Turns out it was the incomplete version so he's effectively immortal as well as well as a few others, though they don't know it just yet." The 'like us' went unspoken over the phone.

"Of course he did." In his garage, a bloodthirsty grin stretched across his Cursed body's face. "Give me a day and I'll be there. It's a promise."

He hung up the Flame-Tech phone and unleashed his Flames, equal parts gleeful and bloodthirsty. The Cloud didn't even try to reign them in as he put away his equipment and set the garage to rights, before moving to his room and grabbing a few things. Skull didn't even bother to let the other Arcobaleno know and left for the States, destination Manhattan, New York City.

Making his way through the city to The Alveare, a speakeasy in Martillo territory, Skull greeted the proprietress before going through a trapdoor in the floor to a hallway. The man from the phone was waiting for him, smiling with closed eyes behind thin, rectangular glasses.

"Good to see you, again. A little on the short side now, I see."

He rolled his eyes and grinned. "Just because of this goddamn curse, Maiza. When it's gone, I'll show you who's taller." His grin sharpened. "Is Firo here?"

Maiza nodded and led him into a room off to the left where a sand-haired young man was lounging in a chair, looking quite relaxed in his light green tailored suit as he flipped his fedora up in the air. Seeing them in the doorway, he snatched his hat out of the air and stood up.

"Hey Maiza. Who's this?" Unlike Maiza who had a slight Italian accent, Firo had a thick Manhattan accent.

"This is my older brother, Biasio Avaro. Currently known as Skull, the Cloud Arcobaleno. Biasio, meet Firo Prochainezo, my protégé and the newest Martillo executive. Had the celebratory feast the night before."

Firo knelt down and held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Biasio."

"Likewise and congratulations, Firo. Now, I hear you have some information for me."

The three of them sat down as Firo filled the Cloud in on what happened, from the granary fire to meeting Ennis the homunculus where he followed her and then getting the incomplete Panacea just an alley over from the fire. While there wasn't information on Szilard's whereabouts, it gave Biasio an idea of where to begin in his search. In the end, it didn't matter because Szilard himself barged in with the homunculus as the trio came out of the trapdoor.

Biasio snarled, Maiza fingered his knives, and Firo sank into a ready stance. The brothers targeted the older man, eyes burning purple and orange respectively while Firo led the homunculus away from them. Of course, it devolved into chaos with the arrival of a Genoard heir with his goons followed by the three Gandor brothers. In the middle of everything, Firo discovered his new immortality and Biasio would have found it amusing if Szilard hadn't run out during the ensuing brawl.

Cloud flames Raging under his skin, he followed the older man out only to find the man's own creation, Ennis, attacking him with a knife and Maiza regenerating. The sight of his only remaining brother on the ground was the final straw and purple flames exploded around the Cloud Arcobaleno, drawing the old man's attention to himself. Behind him, his shadow fluctuated from infant sized to that of a full grown man and then some while tongues of purple fire burned like a halo around him as he stalked toward his target. The man tried to get away from the Raging Acrobaleno but Maiza held him down.

"Szilard Quartes. For the murder of Gretto Avaro and seventeen other alchemists, you are hereby sentenced to death."

The last image Szilard ever saw was a bloodthirsty grin on an infant face as a tiny hand was placed on his face followed by the words he never wanted to hear.

" _I want to eat."_

Biasio's voice was as dark and malicious as the grim look on his face. It was with cold satisfaction that he watched Szilard's form turn to nothingness, the same way the man had killed his and Maiza's little brother. In seconds, only the empty clothes on the ground remained of the man. As he brought his hand down, his shoulders sagged.

"Gretto, hope you're resting in peace now. The bastard is dead."

Of course, they had forgotten about the brawl inside until Firo dragged the Genoard heir out to the alley, bound and gagged, with the Gandor brothers flanking the young executive protectively.

"Hey, Maiza. What should we do with him? And also, can one of you please explain what just happened?" If his eyes sought out Ennis the homunculus standing behind them, the Avaro siblings said nothing.

Maiza, ever the calm and collected Avaro brother, simply sighed. "Let's deal with Dallas Genoard first and then we'll explain."

 **Author's Note:**

I apologize for the crappy action scene but I honestly cannot write it to save my life. If you aren't familiar with Baccano, every character mentioned is canon. The whole panacea/immortality situation will be explained in another piece. Gretto is the dead brother in 'Memento Mori' and his name is engraved on the ring Skull/Biasio wears.

Skull's name: This will be explained more when I get to the immortality piece but Immortals can only use their true names when talking to or near another Immortal. They physically cannot lie about their name, even if they do not know that the other person is an immortal or not. Hence why Maiza introduced Skull as Biasio Avaro and could only refer to him as Skull by using the name as a title of sorts.


End file.
